003

Chapter Three

A gentle rain patters down on the grey-yellow landscape as the dawn sun rises from the East. Saul is in a deep sleep when he is slowly woken by a soft hand patting his shoulder. With a sigh, he rolls over too see the sweet face of Alieana sadly smiling down at him. Fergus and Seamus stir in the background as they make final preparations for their journey. Torri sits on her bed staring darkly at the wall.

"We're about ready to go," Alieana whispers softly.

"Mmmm, thanks."

Alieana walks away and begins to cover herself in thick layers of clothing. With a pair of white long johns over her red panties, she then pulls on a pair of brown leather pants. Standing to her feet, she throws a black long sleeved shirt over her white wife beater followed by a leather jacket to match the pants. Her feet slide into a pair of black, leather boots. Taking a final sip from her coffee mug, she gives what was left to Saul along with a pile of warm clothing meant for him ti wear. He still has on the old NASA sweatshirt but pulls it off for the more inviting clean clothes. After he removes the bloodied and ripped white-t, Alieana walks to him and begins to remove the blood soaked bandage. Her fingers have a sensual effect on Saul that gives him goosebumps. With the gauze removes, she lets forth a relieved sigh and a slight smile leaving Saul slightly confused.

"What is it?"

"Im just relieved there is no infection. No puss or anything. It looks good," she runs her fingers down his chest and stomach to his belt and pulls away without another word. Saul shakes the feelings off and pulls a fresh white shirt over shoulders. With the soft and clean white cotton shielding his torso, he pulls on another shirt made of a stretchy black cloth. He looks at it questioningly. Fergus notices his perplexed expression and decides to fill him in.

"It's cold gear, it'll keep ya warm."

With that, Saul shrugs and continues to pull on the fresh sweatshirt. He replaces his current pants with a pair of light brown cargo pants. The pile of clothes also contains a pair of thick wool socks which Saul is thankful for because his socks are only paper thin. With his feet now wrapped in a wooly warmth, he thrusts them into his boots and stands to get his weapon.

Torri stirs and rises to dress for the wilderness. She pulls on black sweatpants and a sweatshirt after which she covers herself with an old poncho and shoves her feet into black rubber boots. A cold somber expression still infects her beautiful face. Each line in her complexion is another product of her rape which has left her emotionless and absent of her adolescent innocence.

Seamus is dressed completely in fur from the hide of an ox. Fergus however is wearing what seams to be an old garage jumpsuit, an outfit that covers him from ankle to neck and is a pale green color. A large pair of aviator goggles sit above his eyes and his feet bare gigantic steel-toed, engineer boots. Lastly he puts his large .50 Desert Eagle into his belt along with two extra clips and a razor sharp combat knife. Throwing his immensely heavy pack over his shoulders, he grunts as if to tell them he is ready to leave. Seamus also hoists his pack and strides to the door with his old rifle in hand and a Colt 1911 in the caliber of .45 on his belt. Alieana places Torri's bag on her back and gives her a hug but she is basically unresponsive. Her belt holds only her tiny Luger pistol. Alieana finally picks up her bag and puts it on her back. She slides her .357 into her belt along with a straight edged dagger. Following their example, Saul puts his bag on and strains to lift it. He puts an old Beretta 9 mm Alieana gave him in a shoulder holster with an extra clip and two clips for his Kalashnikov. Fergus opens the door and slides his goggles down over his eyes. He glances back at them and fixes his gaze on Seamus.

"Lead the way,"

Seamus pulls a wool skull cap over his head and strides out into the drizzle that has taken hold of the wasteland. Fergus follows behind him. Alieana nudges Torri outside and grabs Saul's hand to follow. As the group sulks away from the colossal castle turret, Torri pauses suddenly. She turns to Alieana and whispers something in her ear. The elder sister nods and nudges Seamus to wait. In an upbeat jog, she moves back to the tower and reemerges a few seconds later carrying a small chain. As she gets closer, Saul notices a hair-thin silver chain bares a small wedding band. She approaches Torri and places it around her neck.

"One more thing," Fergus lumbers back to the turret door and lifts a large red gas can. Kicking the door open, he splashes the clear, pungent liquid about with a heavy dose on Liam's cold, stiff corpse. This causes Alieana to shiver and sigh with intense depression. When the room is completely saturated in gasoline, Fergus steps back, produces a lighter and sets the turret ablaze. As the heat inside rises, flames begin to climb the tall column. The inferno pops and cracks and finally begins to shoot from the ceiling like a mammoth flamethrower. Fergus bows his head, draws a pistol from what seams to be thin air, and empties the magazine into the dirt. A sort of twenty one gun salute. With a final nod of honor, Fergus tosses the pistol into the flames and turns to rejoin the group. Seamus waits with a look of blatant impatience and displeasure as he launches a wad of something from within his lungs into the damp earth. The sight of the blaze swallowing his son is not a welcome one for the proud Scotsman.

"Are we ready yet?"

"Lets go," Alieana retorts back. They begin to move again when Saul pauses to walk with Alieana and he leans over to her ear.

"What was with that ring?"

"It was our mother's, it's all Torri has left of her," Alieana replies. Torri glares back at them through the hole in her sweatshirt's hood knowing they were talking about her and she quickly turns away. Saul just nods not knowing quite what to say about that.

The mood of the day fits perfectly with the negative aura surrounding them. Every once in awhile Seamus pulls a flask from his drenched fur coat and takes a long swig. Fergus is the only one with even a look of remote positivity for he trudges along with a half grin half grimace on his face. The grimace from the stinging of the cold rain and the grin from his love of hard day's work. Torri is almost statue-like now, just staring through the rain with a possessed, empty glare. Alieana wears a long frown and only takes her eyes off the ground in front of her to glance at Saul, which temporarily removes her frown. Lastly, Saul is still busy taking in the all that is the wasteland. So gray and emotionless. A world once so green and spectacular, now so dead and emotionless, void of any natural beauty or remorse. The final product of all humanities flaws of greed, pettiness, and ignorance.

They now move further inland and the air begins to get colder with the rise in elevation. Any tree's or foliage that had existed before is gone, dead and rotting in the nutrition-less soil. In the distance, Saul spots a small herd of what look to be mountain goats. Only they are much different then the ones he is accustomed to. These beats are large and hulking, the size of V-twin Harleys. Their huge horns hook down around their eyes and their fur resembles white steel wool. They mill around in the grey grass trying to find some type of dietary relief. With no food in sight, the two largest males begin to spar. They butt heads and kick at each other. As they kick back and forth Saul notices that their hooves are razor sharp, resembling large kitchen knives bolted to furry hams. As blood begins to mat up in their fur, the smaller one begins to falter and its back legs give out. The large victor rears up onto its hind legs and with one thunderous motion, smashes its front hooves down on the others head, killing it instantly. The victorious goat shakes its fur of blood and rain and begins to devour its fresh kill. The rest of the animals gather around and begin to eat as well. Blood runs thick down the gray hill they stand on and Saul seams to be the only one who notices this oddity of nature. Saul's attention is drawn from the mammalian massacre when Alieana beckons her father in her sweetest voice.

"How long is this expected to take?"

"How should I know," Seamus barks at her.

"Pa," Alieana snaps back but Seamus just takes another swig from his flask and doesn't reply. Fergus shrugs at her almost as if to apologize. Reaching his hand out, Saul pats Alieana on the shoulder to offer her some comfort.

They walk all day through barren hills that were once forests not saying a word after Seamus' unnecessary outburst at Alieana. Just before dark, they crests an embankment and Seamus instantly drops to the ground in alarm. Fergus does the same followed by Saul and the girls. Fergus crawls up to where Seamus lies and they discuss something franticly and point in different directions. Turning back to Saul, Seamus slurs him orders.

"Get up here boyo."

Saul quickly shimmies to the crest of the hill and peers down on a small campsite with a fire throwing a pillar of smoke into the sky. Around the fire sit four grimy, horrific looking men. They wear bulky leather vests with black and red face paint to help them look as scary and menacing as possible. Behind them are three raggedy looking dogs much like one he and Johan killed upon their arrival. Looking closer, Saul feels his stomach drop and his skin crawl. For over the fire pit roasts what appears to be a dismembered human body impaled on an iron spit. The dogs also seam to be guarding a large cage that contains two hunched up figures within it's confinement. Fergus begins to wave his arm about in observation.

"They aren't armed."

"It's not worth the risk," Seamus slurs his words, "we go around."

"You drunk old fool."

"Who tha f**k you think ya are?" Seamus words become more slurred as he gets angrier. Alieana soon joins them and gasps at the sight of the bandits' prisoners inside the cage.

"They have people in that cage."

"That in't my problem," Seamus barks which causes the bandits below them to glance around. Fergus' hand launches to Seamus' blabbering mouth.

"Shut up yer old fool."

"I'm going 'round. Girls follow me," Seamus comes to a crouch and begins to stumble about but neither Torri or Alieana attempt to follow.

"We need to do this."

"You ungrateful b*****s," he spits as he speaks and turns and walks into the darkness.

"Let him go. This is the way he gets when he drinks," Alieana scowls.

"How are we attacking this?" Saul asks Fergus.

"All they got is knives so Imma go straight at 'em."

"I'm going with you," Alieana puts her foot down.

"No," Saul replies.

"Why the hell not?"

"Nonsense, you're both coming to cover us."

As they peer back at their newest endeavor, something new catches their eye. A shadow moves about in the gully from the left followed in the next second by a flash and then a bang rings out and Seamus runs uncoordinatedly with his rifle raised. The four horrific men jump to their feet and brandish their knives. They grin and begin to sprint towards the inebriated Seamus. Fergus jumps to his feet and begins to sprint down the hill, screaming at the top of his lungs.

"No!"

"Pa!" Alieana quickly does the same followed by Saul and Torri.

The bandits close on Seamus screaming terribly. Fergus lets out a shot despite being out of range in order to distract them from Seamus, but it doesn't work. They continue their beeline to Seamus, descending on him every second. As they get to him, the fastest runner hits Seamus. Boney shoulder connects flush with the old man's chest, but being out of control he rolls off of Seamus. As he stands to attack again, Alieana raises her revolver and cracks off a shot which drops the tackler in his tracks. Fergus empties his shotgun at the three other assaulting bandits but only one of them is felled by it. Seamus takes another full body blow from a small sinewy bandit. Saul notices a long brown blade puncture Seamus' ribs with fast, intense stabs. Franticly, the man jabs Seamus with his blade. Bounding even faster now, Fergus bellow forth a guttural scream filling the air along with the chatter of the barking dogs.

Fergus hits the stabbing bandit with a full body shot running at full tilt. The bandit grunts and his blade flies away as he gets clobbered by a man twice his size. They roll two times and Fergus comes out on top quickly getting the man into a submission. Caught in an intense rage, Fergus brings both of his fists down violently into the bandits face. Blood begins to bubble from his nose as Fergus' bellowing screams fill the night air. The last bandit is finally cut down by a burst from Saul's Kalashnikov. Alieana, tears running down her face, sprints to her fathers side. His body is riddled with crude puncture wounds.

"Pa."

"My lovely daughter," he mumbles, on the brink of going into shock.

"We can save you pa," she's crying even heavier now. Saul stands behind her with tears in his eyes with Torri next to him although, he doesn't appear to be effected by it.

"No ya' can't. Look a me, me lungs are filled wit' holes."

"No." She kisses her fathers head and before she can stop him he raises the Colt .45 to his temple.

"Alieana!" Saul grabs her around the shoulders and pulls her back just as the shot rings out. Stunned, Alieana just stares at her father crying uncontrollably. Saul wraps his arms around her and holds her tight absorbing her throbbing sobs. Fergus rises from the bloodied body and walks in a daze to Seamus' body. For the first time Saul notices a tear in his eye causing his goggles to fog up. Quickly, he lifts the lenses and wipes the tear away. Twenty yards away the bandit who was tripped up by Fergus' firing attempts to crawl away in pain. Neither Saul or Fergus notice, but Torri does. Still in her statuesque trance, she strolls over to the wounded bandit. She pulls out her Luger and points it precisely. With a gentle squeeze, the first shot rings out. Hot lead hits him in the back of the hand making him double over clutching at the new injury. Saul and the others jump in alarm from the fired shot to see Torri grinning sadistically as she sends a swift kick right into the bandit's ribs. The helpless man rolls over with a grunt inching ever closer to the barking dogs. Walking casually to the bandits side, she pistol whips him across the face. At this point, Saul and Fergus just gape in amazement at the little Torri letting loose on the cannibalistic bandit. She sends another kick into his ribs sending him rolling into the domain of the three dogs. In a flash of teeth and fur, the three starving canines swarm the man and rip at him feverishly. His bloodcurdling screams quickly die out as his body is torn to shreds and promptly feasted upon. Torri watches with pure evil in her eyes.

The engorged dogs now lie down and begin to sleep. The carcass isn't even recognizable as a human anymore but more resembles a gore-stuffed pillow. Torri lifts her Luger once more and squeezes off a shot, sending a hot lead nine millimeter cartridge right between one of the dogs eyes. It yelps and keels over in death. She does the same for the next two and casually holsters the Luger once more. Saul is glad that Alieana's face is still buried in his chest so she couldn't witness her sister's sadistic acts of remorseless violence.

With her merciless massacre ended, Torri just stands over the creatures she has left dead while her blank stare returns. Fergus walks up behind her and lifts her into his arms. Patting her head, he whispers comforting words into her ear. Walking back to the others, the big man pauses when a whimper draws his attention. The sad terrified whine trails out from the cage surrounded by dead dogs. He puts Torri down next to Alieana who is still clutching at Saul's embrace. Cautiously approaching the cage, pistol drawn, the big Scotsman peers down through the wrought iron bars. His heart clenches at the sight before him. Curled up in the cage is a dirt covered, completely nude young girl. Her emaciated ribs stand out visibly in the fire's dim light. Two black eyes mark her face along with a split lip. Her abused little body is completely naked with her small underdeveloped breasts are also bruised along with the tops of her thighs which are clenched shut apprehensively. Black grimy hair, much like Torri's, is caked with blood and filth while her dark eyes are blood shot from broken blood vessels acquired by her two black eyes. She can't be any older then sixteen. Curled in her arms is a young boy wearing a torn blue t-shirt and white underwear. He is shivering vigorously in the cold. His short blonde hair is also matted with blood and his blue eyes are glazed over with fear.

When the young girl notices Fergus, she shutters and clutches at the young boy who Fergus assumes to be her brother. She lets out a terrified squeal and pulls away when Fergus draws his Desert Eagle. He points it at the padlock and squeezes a shot off. The pistol barks and jumps up in his hand as the old rusty padlock is blown to pieces by the large cartridge. She yelps at the shot and begins to cry all over her little brother who is still lost in a shivering daze. Holstering the pistol, Fergus gently opens the cage door with a loud creak. He slowly crouches down inside and reaches his hand to the young girl. With a wince, she pulls away from him and begins to cry louder. Knowing this won't work he stands back up and looks around to Alieana.

"Alieana, I need yer help." Alieana lifts her face which is still burried in Saul's chest and looks over to the disturbed Fergus.

"What?"

"Just come here," he replies kindly. She pulls Saul along with her to the rusty old cage. Torri lurks behind them. She peers inside and has the same reaction as Fergus as she pulls away in shock and awe.

"You poor thing," she cries out and crawls head first into the cage. She pulls up next to the young girl and put hers arms around her. At long last, the girl finally seams to relax. Driven by a spark to help the poor girl and her brother, Torri runs back to her dead father's body and pulls off his bloodied fur coat. She hurries back to the cage and crawls inside herself. With the most gentle touch, she wraps the coat around the girl and her brother. Alieana slowly comforts the two starving kids, encouraging them to emerge from the cage. Fergus takes his backpack off and removes a can of stringed beans. He hustles to the fire, breaks a hole in the lid with his knife, and sets it in the white hot coals. When frantic bubbles begin to boil from the hole, he removes it with a stick to let the contents cool down.

After five minutes, he cuts a large section out of the lid and brings it to the young girl and boy. Without hesitation, she rips it from his hands and starts devouring the soggy green vegetables. She pauses just before they're all gone and holds the remains to her brothers mouth. In extreme hunger, he chokes them down in one gulp. Saul pulls out one of his own cans of carrots and hands it to Fergus who breaks it open and gives it to the starving girl. Noticing this, Alieana shoots her hand out to prevent the food from reaching the children.

"No, wait, they're starving. If they eat too fast they'll just throw it up."

She leans down to the girl and strokes her dirty hair and whispers to her. Torri gently takes the cans from her. They help them to their feet and walk them to the fire pit to get warmed up. Scrounging around back in his backpack, Fergus removes a bottle of water and hands it to Alieana.

"Give 'em some water."

"Im glad I packed some spare clothes," Alieana throws down her pack and unzips it. She takes out a pair of black panties and hands them to the naked girl. She gratefully pulls them on over her bruised legs. Next, Alieana gives her a pair of red sweatpants which she pulls on hastily as well. Lastly she takes out a blue and white knit sweater. She looks deep into Alieana's eyes and shines upon an absolute genuine smile.

"Thank you," she is shaking, "thank you so much."

Instead of putting the sweater on, she pulls it over her little brother's shoulders and he hugs himself warm in front of the fire. The girl looks into the fire and cups her breasts to warm them. Alieana stands and takes off her leather jacket followed by her long sleeved black shirt which she hands to the girl. As Alieana puts her jacket back on, the girl throws the shirt over her cold, bruised body.

"What's your name?" Alieana asks.

"I'm Faux," she smiles forcedly, "this is my little brother Raul, he's only six. What are your names?"

"I'm Alieana. This is my sister Torri," Torri steps forward and makes a small waving motion, "Fergus, and Saul," she pauses and smiles deep into Saul's eyes. Still deeply grateful, the skeletal Faux stands and gives Torri a big long hug. The warmth of Torri's body is refreshing for the still frigid Faux.

"Thanks again for saving us."

Raul has finally stopped shivering and begun to take short sips of water. Faux sits next to him and nibbles on small pieces of canned carrots handing pieces to her brother every once in awhile. Saul and Fergus burry Seamus' body and leave a small grave marker to preserve his memory. Torri sits away from the fire and the group, as she draws random, incoherent pictures in the dirt. Abstract images of deranged figments of her wild imagination. Alieana quickly heats some water, goes behind an old shipping freight box and washes her smooth and grubby skin. She shaves her lower body with her razor-sharp dagger and rinses her hair of her father's blood. After cleaning herself, she heats water for Faux who does the same, cleaning herself and shaving but also cleaning up her brother too. As Alieana gets back and settles next to the fire, Saul sits down behind her and wraps his arms around her shoulders. She slides between his legs and he wraps her in a warm embrace. Overwhelmed by the days events, Alieana softly starts to cry. Saul gives her a comforting kiss on the neck and in the next minute they are both fast asleep.

Author's Note

Suggestions?